Minister for Social Welfare and Transport B. Sriramulu on Saturday launched a slew of programmes of the Department of Scheduled Tribes’ Welfare and distributed various benefits to the beneficiaries belonging to the Scheduled Tribes under the schemes of Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation, in Mysuru district.
The day began for the Minister with the inauguration of the newly-constructed Morarji Desai Residential School building at T Bettahalli in T Narsipur taluk. The school building has been constructed at a cost of ₹16.98 crore for accommodating 260 students belonging to rural areas.
Mr Sriramulu, accompanied by Minister in charge of Mysuru district S.T. Somashekar, later inaugurated the Post-Matric and Pre-Matric Hostels built at a cost of ₹5.31 crore at Paramahamsa Nagar in Srirampura here. These hostels, which also have a computer lab and library, can accommodate 250 students.
The new building of Karnataka State Tribal Research Institute that has come up at a cost of ₹9 crore at Treasury Employees’ Layout in Kergalli here, was the next to be inaugurated by the Minister.
The beneficiaries belonging to Scheduled Tribes received financial assistance and other benefits costing around ₹2 crore from the Department and the Corporation. A sum of ₹68.50 lakh was released to 25 couples who opted for inter-caste marriage. Seven beneficiaries got passenger carrying and goods carrying vehicles costing ₹18.48 lakh. As many as 76 beneficiaries got a sum of ₹38 lakh under the direct loan scheme while ₹30 lakh was released to 120 beneficiaries under micro credit scheme for making them self-employed.
The beneficiaries received these benefits from the Minister at the programme held at the KSOU Convocation Hall later in the evening.
In his address at the function, the Minister said the department needs to study whether the communities are benefitting from the welfare schemes as he feels that the beneficiaries haven’t developed as expected. “If there are any inadequacies in reaching out the benefits, they need to be corrected as our goal is the welfare of the people,” he said.
Many schemes are being launched and the government sets aside a major chunk of funds for the welfare of communities. By utilising these benefits, development must happen. “We need to look whether the communities are happy or if they aspire anything more for their welfare. The people need to live respectably. Their economic and social development is our aim,” the Minister observed.
Mr. Sriramulu called upon women to make use of the benefits as 28 per cent of the budget is meant for the welfare and empowerment of women.
The Minister also announced that he would help the beneficiaries get borewells on their lands if there was no water source. Under Ganga Kalyana scheme, those who have got 2 acres of land from the department, will also get a water source so that they can carry out a living cultivating crops. Within 24 hours of sinking borewells, they would get pumps and electricity connection, he added.
Department Director Kantharaj, Corporation MD Kavitha M. Warangal, senior officials and directors from the department were present.
